For a pair of outcast deities, we’re one hot magical mess. He's hardly amused by my prickly attitude. And I don’t have time for his narcissistic crap.

Too bad we’re stuck with one another.

A magic battle against the ruthless Fate Court has begun. Transported into an enemy realm of celestial seas and starlight, this sexy, irritating archer and I weren’t supposed to get separated from our band of rebel immortals. In the midst of a war, we weren’t supposed to end up lost in an enclave of dark, mythical waterfalls.

And we definitely weren’t supposed to end up alone.

Not with each other.

This book took me longer to read than the other books in the Selfish Myth series (just a little under a week). However, this was not because I wasn’t enjoying it – quite the opposite – I really didn’t want it to end ever! I have made no secret of my love for this series – it has become one of my all-time favourites. So reading Transcend, the final book, was a somewhat bittersweet experience. It felt very fitting to end this series with Sorrow and Envy, they are the most jaded of all the characters (except perhaps for Malice) so seeing them fall for each other was simply quite beautiful.

I am totally getting ahead of myself though! Before I start my review, I just want to state for disclosure’s sake that I am a (very lucky!) member Natalia’s ARC Team but this in no way has influenced my rating. All opinions are strictly my own and have not been influenced in any way.

my review of transcend by natalia jaster

When the last book Tempt ended, we were left with our favourite archers getting ready for war. Not just any battle, a magical battle against the Fate Court itself. This small band of merry misfits have all found their soulmates, all except for Sorrow and Envy.

Sorrow is a snarky soul, all corners and edges. She hides her huge heart behind a wall of sarcasm and quick wit. Envy is a rakish cad, vain and full of himself. He has had many lovers but none of them have ever broken past his veneer of conceit.

During the time they were ensconced in a forbidden library, their compatriots Wonder and Malice discovered a possible way to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. A prophesy that states if two deities can choose love over lust, it could break their immortal stalemate with the Fate Court. What a pity it is down to Sorrow and Envy to fulfil this prophesy.

Neither of them have any intention of falling in love with each other. They have already chosen lust at one point, which did not end well for either of them. There was absolutely no way they would ever deign to lower themselves in such a way.

And yet.

Neither of them could have foreseen that in the midst of war the two of them would end up alone in an enclave of dark, mythical waterfalls. Forced to spend time together, their carefully constructed facades begin to crumble. It is only a matter of time before real feelings begin to emerge.

However, the war is not far away and these two deities could have the misfortune of finding themselves on opposing sides…

thorny antagonists – sorrow and envy

Oh boy, where to begin with these two? I didn’t think anyone could topple my favourite couple Wonder and Malice but Sorrow and Envy definitely gave them a run for their money!

I have a soft spot for snarky characters and Sorrow stole my heart right away. Envy took a bit longer but it was soon very clear that his arrogant mask hid a vulnerable and open heart. These type of characters are like catnip to me – I am always going to be drawn to them.

I was a bit worried that the plot might end up overshadowing the romance but I shouldn’t have worried. The romance is given a lot of depth and fits so well into the over-arching narrative. It was very smart to finish off this wonderful series with this oh-so-unlikely pairing.

On the surface, they seem like complete opposites that would never work. Yet their differences just make their growing feelings all the more satisfying. They have a lot to overcome, most particularly their own prejudices against each other. In a way, this almost like like a Pride and Prejudice retelling (good thing I am a huge fan of that story too!) When they do finally open up to each I was internally squeeing (or maybe not so internally – I got a few looks for my long-suffering other half heh).

There was a lot of plot to get through too and this was handled deftly and in a satisfying manner. All the previous couples got moments to shine and it was great seeing them all back together. I am definitely going to miss this bunch (although, do I perhaps smell a spin-off with a certain young archer who plays quite a significant role? *hint, hint*)

to sum up

All in all, this was a fantastic way to end the series. Sorrow and Envy are well-deserving of a place in my favourite couples list. They bounce off each other so well and their shared history and previous involvement definitely makes for an interesting courtship.

Even though they have known each other for a long time, they have never really gotten to know each other. Being forced to spend time together alone forces them to open their hearts and realize feelings that might have always been there, simmering under the surface.

It was amazing seeing them come together (with a little help and encouragement from their friends!) I am going to miss this messy duo and the rest of their group so much but I’m glad to have gotten to know each and every one of them (and hey, there is always re-reads!)